Pest Library

Pest Library

Ants

Ants are the most common pest problem reported. These tiny scavengers will enter your home or business looking for moisture and an accessible food source. Sometimes even rotting or damp wood that has mold damage can attract ants. Most, but not all ants feed on most kinds of sweets. They also feed on cheese, meats, vegetables, grease, peanut butter, and dead insects.

Ants often enter a home through cracks around windows or doors, but may also be able to et in through holes for wires. Once inside, the growing ant colony can become a problem quickly as ants mature from juvenile to adult within a matter of days.

There are thousands of species of ants, but only 4 commonly found species in the United States. It will be necessary to properly identify the ant species that you have before an effective means can be used to get rid of them.

Carpenter Ants – are about 5/8″ long, make burrows in damp wood, but can go from there to damage solid wood. They do not eat the wood, but simply remove it for nests.

Red Imported Fire Ants – vary in size from 1/8″ to 3/8″, make large mounds for nests; give a painful sting. They will enter a building through cracks and holes.

Pavement Ants – about 1/8″ long; make their nests in cracks in pavement; can infest a building.

Ants with wings can often be mistaken for termites – which may lead to a wrong treatment. Ants have a very narrow thorax (mid-section), while termites’ bodies are more uniform.

Treatment is best when it is performed near the nest – instead of being widely applied. We are ready to come and evaluate the extent of your ant problem and can give you a free estimate. We use a minimum amount of the correct treatment designed for a particular type of insect – to give you the fastest and best results possible.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs have largely been thought of as being a problem of the past. The truth, however, is that bed bugs are making a strong comeback. So much so, that they are now being found even in fine hotels and fancy homes.

One of the reasons for such a strong reappearance is because of international travel. Bed bugs get into clothes and luggage and then they are brought home. You could have picked them up from your hotel room or even from your suitcase on the plane being next to a suitcase that had bed bugs in it.

A bed bug does not actually live under your skin, but will simply drink a few drops of blood while you are sleeping. You cannot feel its bite, even though it is actually piercing the skin. Although some saliva will get into the bite, bed bugs are not known to pass on any diseases to humans.

The different species of bed bugs have feeding preferences. Some prefer human blood while others prefer bats and birds, and species primarily reside in their target’s nests or nesting areas. If they lose their favorite host, though, they will have to find blood somewhere else.

While many bed bugs hide in a mattress, some may also hide in a sofa or chair or behind wall paper or pictures. Any corner or crevice within 100 feet of your furniture needs to be searched. As you might guess, this means that simply getting rid of an infected mattress will not totally solve the problem.

Bed bug bites often cause redness and possibly some swelling. Antihistamines and corticosteroids may be given to help relieve the itching. Approximately 50% of people do not show any evidence of bed bug bites.

The little blood suckers are about 3/8″ long and are visible to the naked eye. Amazingly, though, they are able to go a long time without any food if necessary – possibly as long as a year. When they are gorged with blood, the females will lay eggs – 200 at one time.

Since their reappearance researchers have found that the new bed bugs are much more resistant to chemicals that have been in long term use. Insecticides that are often used for roaches and similar insects do not work on bed bugs – which is another reason they are on the rise again.

If you think you might have an infestation of bed bugs, call now and let us help you to quickly get rid of the problem. We know how to identify, reduce and eliminate your bed bug problem. In just a few minutes, your solution can be on the way.

Beetles

Beetles make up the largest category of insects in the world, and they account for approximately 25% of all life forms on earth. In fact, there are more than 5 million different species of beetles.

Beetles are easily identified by their hard outer shell, which covers their wings. The wings they use to fly are exposed only during flight. A beetle’s body consists of three sections, including a head, a thorax, and an abdomen.

Several types of beetles feed on wood. This can cause a lot of damage in wood structures primarily because while the wood is being eaten, the beetles remain unseen. This is true of the powder post beetles, old house borer beetles, bark beetles, the citrus long-horned beetle, Asian beetles, and others. Powder post beetles, amongst others, grow from eggs that are laid in the wood. Another type, the citrus long-horned beetle, was introduced into the United States as recently as 1999 and is currently without any natural enemies. Although not known as yet, the damage it will create is expected to be extensive.

Adult beetles do not eat wood, only the beetle larvae do. When you see holes in wood, either in structural wood or in furniture, it is because the larvae have already left and you are seeing the exit holes. This means that there is in insect infestation somewhere close-by. Generally, they will seek the same kind of wood from which they came.

Other beetles feed on garden plants, such as the Colorado potato beetle, the boll weevil, the rose chafer, the western corn rootworm, and many more. Each of these can cause millions of dollars in damage to crops of many different kinds. The presence of just a few beetles always indicates that more likely exist, and quick action is needed by a qualified Pest Control agency.

Some beetles, such as the common ladybug, are actually advantageous to have around. They are known to keep down the population of other insects, so you should not attempt to destroy them or any other beneficial beetle species.

Treating for beetles requires proper knowledge of the type of beetle species you are trying to eliminate. Wood eating beetles, for instance, cannot be effectively treated using sprays because they are located deep in the wood, where most sprays will never reach them. If you have a beetle infestation, your local Pest Control company is ready to help you.

Cockroaches

Just about everyone knows what a cockroach looks like – they are everywhere. While it is often jokingly stated that if anything could survive a nuclear war – a cockroach could, the idea is clear – they are real survivors.

Once there is a cockroach infestation, it can be very hard to get rid of them – especially if your home is joined to someone else’s. Cockroaches multiply very fast, and they also have an ability to adapt quickly, too. This makes it imperative to talk to a pest control agency quickly if you see them in your home or business.

There are over 4,000 different varieties of cockroaches, but only about 30 of them can comfortably live with humans. This number can be reduced down to only 4 varieties which are the main kinds that cause problems in homes and businesses in America.

The 4 main kinds are the American, the German, the Asian, and the Oriental cockroaches. These vary in size from about 1/2″ (the German) up to 2″ (the American). In America, the one that is most common in homes would be the German variety.

Cockroaches increase in number at a very rapid rate. The German cockroach female lives about 200 days. With each egg case that she lays, there will be between 30-50 eggs. In her lifetime, she will produce between 4 to 6 egg cases – which means up to 300 more cockroaches. The German cockroach produces young at a faster rate than other cockroaches.

Once cockroaches infest a home, they often are rarely seen. Part of the reason for this is because they are nocturnal, and a second reason is because they tend to hide. They can live up to a month with little or no food, but can also survive by eating book bindings, furniture glue, soap, dead insects, shoe linings, and more.

The presence of cockroaches can lead to a definite impression of uncleanness – especially if your guests see them. The truth is that it is not necessarily uncleanliness that will produce a cockroach manifestation – but it will cause it to be much harder to get rid of them. The presence of cockroaches can also lead to health problems – including asthma in children.

If you have seen cockroaches around your home or business, you should eliminate them as quickly as possible. Remember that they increase in numbers very fast. Chances are – if you see one or two – that there may be a hundred more that you have not seen yet.

Contact us today for a free estimate about removing your cockroach infestation. We know how to get rid of them – and the sooner you let us start – the sooner your problem will be gone.

Flies

Flies, generally considered a nuisance by everyone, exist in all regions of the United States. There are more than 240,000 different varieties of flies in the world, and approximately one third of them, including mosquitoes and gnats, can be found in the United States. A true fly has only one set of wings and all flies are known disease carriers, many of which can be transmitted to humans. Flies typically breed in garbage, decaying flesh, excrement of animals and humans, sewers, compost piles, and any other place where matter is decaying. This enables them to pick up various kinds of diseases which can be transmitted to people by biting or by landing on food, where they can add bacteria and viruses to the food. Since flies are able to transmit disease so easily, it is necessary to get insect control quickly. The diseases that they can carry include malaria, yellow fever, encephalitis, and dengue fever. All flies have a rapid rate of growth and go from egg to an adult in about seven 7 days. Maggots are just one stage in the early development of a fly and maggots of some fly varieties, such as the Carrot Rust fly, can be a problem because they eat the roots of some vegetables, including carrots and celery. The most common flies are the Fruit fly, the House fly (which have four stripes on their abdomen), the Cluster fly (which is dark gray in color) and the Garbage fly (which has a metallic color that is either green or blue). Another kind of fly, the Stable fly, typically exists around livestock. The Horse fly and a few other varieties of flies actually have mouth parts and can bite people. Most other flies have a sponge-like mouth and can only drink up their food. One benefit of flies is that they do help keep down the population of other pests. They also help to break down carcasses and other decaying matter faster by preparing it to reenter the ground. Properly controlling flies includes not only killing them, but also destroying their eggs and larvae. Call a professional pest control company to manage any fly problems you encounter, preferably before the eggs are laid, since eggs can multiply rapidly and increase the likelihood of disease.

Millipedes and Centipedes

Millipedes and centipedes are two creatures that are very similar and both of them can be a pest. However, they really are not a threat to people or animals.

Centipedes in the south tend to be the largest. They can grow up to six inches in length, but most are considerably shorter. A centipede can be easily distinguished from a millipede because it has fewer legs, specifically one set for every segment of its body. Millipedes have two sets of legs for every segment, and when they move their legs appear to be moving in a wave-like motion. A millipede’s legs are also shorter and in general, a millipede cannot move very fast. A centipede, on the other hand, is able to move considerably faster.

Both centipedes and millipedes are hatched from eggs, but some varieties are born live. Some centipedes may live as long as six years.

Centipedes have the ability to bite and are poisonous. The poison from their fangs, which are behind their head, is more like that of a bee sting, and can bother some people more than others, especially if there is an allergic reaction to it. The poison is used to kill insects, which is their primary food. Children will be more sensitive to a centipede’s bite, and a larger centipede’s bite will be more painful.

Millipedes do not have poison, or fangs, but they can emit an obnoxious fluid to defend itself. Some varieties can squirt this fluid several inches and it will take some scrubbing to get rid of the odor. The fluid can cause irritation on the skin in some people, and it should be removed right away. Millipedes feed on decaying plant matter, and sometimes living plant roots.

Millipedes can damage plant roots when there are too many in the soil. Some varieties are known to be especially bothersome to green house plants. If this occurs, you may need to contact a commercial pest control agency to remove your millipede infestation.

House centipedes are the only variety that can live inside a house. This variety can move rather fast and does not require the moisture that the other varieties need. Centipedes are beneficial to the control of other insects and this may be a good reason to keep them around. The most likely time to see centipede’s in your home is in the spring or fall.

When you need to get rid of centipedes and millipedes, especially when they are in your home, you should call a Pest Control company. They’ll know which indoor pest control agents to use that are safe and will give you the best results.

Mosquitoes

We become especially aware of mosquitoes every summer while outdoors in the warmer months. Sometimes we see full swarms or just a single mosquito and know that they are ready to drink some blood and cause itches and irritations to our skin.

Other than being a nuisance, mosquitoes can be a real threat to our health. Mosquitoes can carry a number of illnesses that are a serious threat to both humans and animals. Over a short period of time, for instance, the West Nile Fever has been brought to the United States and has now occurred in every state. A single mosquito bite can also cause malaria, dengue fever, and encephalitis. Because they drink the blood of animals and humans, they can easily get infected and then pass that infection on to another creature.

Only the female mosquito will drink your blood, as the male mosquito does not need to do this. Mosquitoes, in general, do not need blood to live, as they actually feed on nectar. The female needs blood to help in the process of laying her eggs. Once the eggs are laid, a female mosquito will seek out more blood in order to lay more eggs. She will do this throughout her short life span, which lasts about two weeks.

Mosquitoes are responsible for more human deaths than any other insect. This means that mosquito control is a must for human health and well-being. There are several varieties of mosquitoes, and some are capable of carrying more deadly diseases than others.

Mosquito insecticide is often used on a wide-scale basis to kill mosquitoes and is usually very effective. A new variety of mosquito – a heartier one that is not bothered by direct sunlight – had come to US shores and had brought West Nile Fever with them. In recent years, especially when West Nile Fever first came to the US, major cities were sprayed day and night to prevent the spread of the disease.

If you have land features that are prone to breed mosquitoes, such as swamps, heavy rainfall or even old tires, then you may need to talk to a pest control agent to see what you can do to keep the mosquito population down on your property. Different mosquitoes do need different treatments. A mosquito trap may also be necessary to keep them under control.

Moths

By the time you see moths in your home, it likely means they have found something that they like to eat. Fortunately, their feeding choices are rather limited and you can usually find where they are feeding rather quickly.

Moths that are found in a home are generally one of two basic kinds, either a food eating moth or a fabric eating moth. A food eating moth, which is the most common, will most likely be found in a pantry. A fabric eating moth will most likely be found in your closet.

Food eating moths come in a variety of types, but all of them can generally be found be in a pantry, kitchen cabinets, near pet food, or near a garbage can. They especially like to eat various grains, cereals, flour, pastas, powdered milk, bird seed, and other similar foods. These foods are much more likely to attract moths if they are not stored in air-tight containers.

Moth eggs are laid in or near these foods. The eggs will develop into larvae which will start eating the food. In their immature stages, you are unlikely to see them because they will be close to the same color as the food they are in.

The most common type of food moth is the Indian meal moth, which is also referred to as the North American High-Flyer. It is also the most destructive. The larva is often referred to as “waxworms” and these moths are also sometimes called flour moths or pantry moths. A female Indian meal moth can lay up to 300 eggs at one time. As adults, they grow to be about 1/2 inch long.

Fabric moths include the webbing moth and the casemaking moth. Both of these moths are only about 1/4 inch long, and do not like to be seen, and rarely are. Generally, the only way you will know that these moths are present is when you see holes in your fabric.

Pest Management Professionals have the knowledge to rid your house of moths. They will go directly to the source of the problem, where the eggs are being laid. Call a Pest Control company today to help eliminate the moths in your home.

Rodents

Mice and rats – rodents – can be a real problem when you see them in your home. They like to be near humans so that they have a ready supply of food. This has earned them the term “commensal,” which means to share one’s table.

The class of creatures called “rodents” actually encompasses a whole lot more than just mice and rats. It refers to anything whose incisor teeth continue to grow, and so they must continue to gnaw in order to keep them under control.

There are more than 2,200 different rodents, and together they make up more than 40% of all mammals. In this group you will find, mice and rats, squirrels, capybaras, nutria, chipmunks, prairie dogs, and many more.

Removing rodents can sometimes be as easy as setting a mouse trap, but a larger infestation – especially with rats or larger rodents – can be a real problem. Rats, especially, are smart and can learn to avoid traps.

Rodents can carry up to 35 diseases that humans are able to get from them, which is another reason to get rid of them as soon as possible. Cleaning up after a rodent infestation also requires a great deal of caution. This is necessary because of the possibility of fleas or mosquitoes – which can also bring those diseases indirectly to you, your children, or your pets. There is also a danger involved if you stir up the dust of their nest, as well, and breathe in some of that bacteria.

Rodents can also damage your home or other building, too. They can chew through some types of siding and other building materials, and are well known to chew on electrical lines – increasing the possibility of a fire. They damage other places as well, and create holes and gnaw on many things – especially food or food containers. This damages the food by contaminating it.

Removing rodents can be difficult, but the good news is that there are experts available who can do all the work for you. This includes identifying their nesting areas, their feeding places, and knowing what will actually work when it comes to eliminating them from your property. Proper cleanup can also be performed, too, ensuring that you and your family are safe from possible future problems.

If you have rodents in your home or on your property, why not call an expert now and get a free estimate. Professionals are ready to help you. Let them eliminate the guesswork and bring in their know-how to quickly bring your pest problem under control.

Spiders

Spiders are generally good to have around because they help keep down the population of harmful insects. The problem comes, however; when they are seen by humans. The mere sight of a spider is a real scare for some people. Aside from that, many spiders do bite humans so it is a good idea to have a Pest Control Company treat your home for spiders.

Several spiders pose a serious threat to humans. The two spiders that are the deadliest to humans in the United States are the Black Widow and the Brown Recluse. Since a few people die each year from the bite of either of these two spiders, it’s extremely important for any person that is bitten by one of these spiders should seek treatment immediately. In some cases, hospitalization may be necessary.

The Black Widow spider can be easily recognized because she is black with a red hourglass on the underside of her abdomen. The male is considerably smaller than the female, which has a body up to a ½ inch long. The Black Widow typically remains outdoors.

The Brown Recluse spider has a darker brown hourglass on its back. The Brown Recluse loves to be indoors and generally stays out of sight. It may never be seen until you reach into a dark spot where it is hiding. Then it will bite.

There are plenty of other spiders in the United States, such as the grass spider, wolf spider, hobo spider, and the Saint Andrew’s cross spider, just to name a few. These spiders do not have as strong venom in their bite, but it can be painful and treatment may be required.

If you have noticed spiders around your home, you should contact your neighborhood Pest Control company. They will present the best and safest way to eliminate your spider problem, and make recommendations about how to keep them away in the future.

Stinging Insects

Depending on where you live, you probably have come into contact with insects that can sting at one time or another. The farther south you go, of course, the more varieties there are of stinging insects. Stinging insects include wasps, hornets, bumble bees, and yellow jackets.

While the sting itself from these insects is not all that painful, a serious problem can arise if you have an allergic reaction to the sting. For that reason, stinging insects can prove to be a dangerous pest.

Many stinging insects will rarely bother people, unless you bother them, or their nest, first. Other ones, it seems, love to bother people without being provoked. Hornets, and sometimes wasps, are actually known to have a temper. This particular class of insects, called Hymenoptera, has venom in their sting which, unless treated very quickly, can result in death in some people in less than an hour. Also, some stinging insects can sting multiple times, making their sting that much worse. Wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets do not leave their stinger behind in your skin, but the bumblebee does.

Yellowjackets are thin with black and yellow markings. They make their nests in the ground or inside logs that are near to the ground. They will sometimes build their nests inside of the walls of houses, too, and these can become quite large. Yellow jacket nests are made of a paper maché-like material and because they are often at ground level, it is rather easy to disturb their nest, even accidentally.

Wasps have slender bodies and look similar to yellow jackets. They can have black, brown or red bodies that have yellow markings. Their nests are also paper maché-like, are circular, and usually hang down from eaves, or piles of wood.

Ticks

Ticks can be seen year-round, but are most visible in the warm summer months. They feed on blood, so they are continually looking for a host to latch onto for a drink. When hosts cannot be found, a tick can go for months, or sometimes more than a year, without feeding.

Ticks go from eggs to adult in different stages depending on what kind of tick it is. Some ticks only have a couple of stages, while others go through as many as eight stages. The length of time it takes to go through the stages varies as well, and that partly depends on factors such as temperature, humidity, availability of food, etc. A young tick (of any kind) will have six legs, but an adult tick will have eight and in general, there are two main kinds of ticks; the hard and soft varieties.

It is necessary for a female tick to have a blood meal before she can lay eggs. After feeding, she will usually drop off the host to lay her eggs. The number of eggs will vary, but some ticks can lay ten thousand eggs at one time. This means that when ticks become visible, there are probably many more around.

Ticks can carry a number of diseases that can be transferred to humans. Because they suck blood from both animals and humans, they can easily pick up diseases from one host and pass it on to the next. Some diseases humans can get from ticks include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, Q fever, tularemia, tick paralysis and meningoencephalitis.

Ticks often have a certain host that they prefer to latch onto. For this reason, they are often given names like deer tick, cat tick, American dog tick, bat tick, bird tick, etc. However, it is important to understand that once a tick loses a particular host, it will try to find another before long. Even though they may prefer one type of host, they will feed on anything with blood in it.

Animals that live in your home, like dogs and cats, can easily bring ticks into your house. After feeding for a couple of days, the ticks will drop off and lay eggs. They look for tiny crevices to store their eggs, which means that you could soon have a large infestation of ticks in your home. Getting rid of a tick infestation takes time because eggs can hatch months later, long after you think you have the situation under control.

If you have a tick problem, you should contact your local Pest Control agency. Their experience and expertise will enable them to once again make your home a safe place for you and your pets.

Wildlife

Some animals are great to have as an occasional visitor if you live in the country, but that can quickly turn into a nightmare if they decide to stay – and multiply. Animal pests can prove to be a real nuisance for all concerned.

There are many different kinds of animals that are often considered pests. This can include:

Any one of these creatures can become quickly unwanted if it decides to stay – or repeatedly comes back. A qualified pest control company can provide you with quick and safe animal removal and control – restoring your peace of mind and privacy again. This brings back safety for you, your loved ones and your pets, too.

Pest control companies offer to take care of your problem with professionals that are both licensed and experienced. This enables them to take care of your problem swiftly and safely. They are also trained, which helps you to know that you are dealing with people that care about delivering quality service to your home.

When you have a sudden problem, then you will want it to be taken care of quickly. Pest control companies are often available 24 hours a day to provide you with the efficient pest removal service you need.

Pest control has also gone state of the art, which means that you get the best of equipment, the newest technologies, and the most professional service. Pests are removed efficiently, quickly, and in a humane way.

Sometimes animal pests were attracted to something that brought them to your home or business. Professional pest control people can help identify and remedy that problem so that it does not reoccur. This may include fixing some property damage as well, making it secure again.

Our Pest Library deals with a number of common problems and will provide information to help you learn about them. After reading about the problem, you can decide whether or not you need to talk to a professional who is ready to help you remove or control the problem.

You can quickly find out about pest control services by talking to our professionals today. Estimates are free, and in many cases, work can be started quickly to eliminate your pest problem – and you can start removing it today.